


Letting Go

by redeem147



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-17
Updated: 2011-08-17
Packaged: 2017-10-22 17:15:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/240483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redeem147/pseuds/redeem147
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Rose is separated from the Doctor by a universe, she needs her mother's understanding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Letting Go

She stopped crying before they left Norway. She was silent the rest of the drive home.

Even Mickey knew better than to try to lighten the mood with a few jokes.

Jackie tucked her in, a hot cup of tea at her bedside table.

“Mum?” she asked, sitting up and clutching the cup, drawing in the warmth.

“Yes, love?” Her mother sat on the edge of the bed, not hugging her. Just there.

“Thank you. And Pete. You were great.”

“I was so worried about you, breaking down like you did. We shouldn’t have gone.”

“Yeah. Yeah we should.” She looked down into the steaming liquid, a little surprised that there wasn’t a splash. She was all cried out. “I needed it to be over. He’s really gone.”

“He kept his promise. He brought you home to me. But my darling girl,” Jackie squeezed her daughter’s arm and stared honestly into her eyes, “I’m so, so sorry.”

She started to rise, but Rose took her hand. “Can we talk for a bit longer?”

“Course we can.” She sat back down and pulled her robe tighter. “Long as you like.”

“I loved him. Love him.”

“I know.”

“I didn’t think he loved me. After he changed. I tried so hard just to be good, just so he’d love me again. But I didn’t believe it.”

“Rose...”

“Even when we were together, he was so tender. But I thought it was because he was lonely, and I was there.” She realized what she’d said, and lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? You think I’m surprised? Two of you in that box, looking at him the way you did.”

Rose smiled, a little. “It wasn’t that long, that things were that way. Something happened, and he thought he’d lost me. That night was the first time.”

“What happened?”

“Doesn’t matter. Very scary when it happened, but I was fine. And he was so relieved. So I thought that was what it was. That he was happy he wasn’t alone. But after this...”

“He did go to a lot of trouble to see you again.”

“Mum.” And now her eyes were getting teary again. “He moved the universe. And I just wish... I...”

“What, pet?”

“I wish I had known. That we could just have been in love. Nothing would have changed in the end, but it would have been so much better.”

“You had more than a lot of people have.” Jackie kissed her daughter on the forehead and took the now cool tea. “Get some sleep.”

“Yeah. Thanks for listening.”

Jackie paused at the bedroom door. “I reckon that’s what a mum’s for. See you in the morning.”

Rose tried to sleep, but it wouldn’t come. She opened the bedside drawer and pulled out her lighter, a pad of paper and a pen. She lit the pedestal candle on her dresser.

When she was a little girl, missing the dad she’d never really known, she’d write him letters.

She wrote two words on a piece of the paper and touched it to the flame. As it started to burn, she dropped it onto the plate holding the candle. The corners curled brown and turned the words to ash. The words ‘I know.’


End file.
